Ignition system analyzer



Jan. 5, 1954 HEDlNGER 2,665,408

IGNITION SYSTEM ANALYZER Filed Feb. 23, 1951 ERNST HEmNGER INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 5, 1954 IGNITION SYSTEM ANALYZER Ernst Hedinger, Schlieren, Switzerland, assignor to Joseph Weidenhofi, Iowa, a corporation of Illinois Application February 23, 1951, Serial N 0. 212,328

7 Claims.

The invention relates to a device for determination and diagnosing of disturbances during operation of motor vehicles, which is characterized by a spark gap associated with the ignition device with a ring-shaped and a rod-shaped electrode, which latter is movable to change the size of the spark gap in axial and radial direction, and which independently thereof is rotatably positioned for determination of ignition sparks which follow one another in rapid succession in a plane lying within the ring-shaped electrode.

In the drawing, an embodiment of the device of the invention is diagrammatically shown. It shows:

Fig. 1 a front view of the device, and

Fig. 2 a section through a part of the same on a larger scale.

In a housing I, there is disposed behind a disc 2 a metal ring 3. Within the ring 3 is rotatably arranged a disc i of insulating material, as carrier of an electrode 5 which is longitudinally slidable in a sleeve The sleeve 6 is slit longitudinally and encloses one leg l of a bell crank lever pivoted at ii. The end of the leg '5 carries a disc-shaped head-piece 9 engaging a slot of the electrode 5. The sleeve 6 is rotatably disposed within the housing '5 and is connected with the insulating disc 3 in a manner, not shown. The sleeve carries, furthermore, a driving disc ill which by means of a cord H is in operating connection with another disc i2 disposed on the shaft of an electromotor M.

On the housing I is disposed a change-over :switch U which in the position shown in Fig. 1 .is in the position of disconnection O, and from the latter may be turned to three different operating positions. In the operating position B the motor M is connected by means of a conductor 13, and a regulating resistance It with one pole of a battery l5 built into the device as source of current and by means of a conductor l6 and the change-over switch with the other pole of the battery. The contacts of the operating positions V5 and Vi? are connected by means of a condoctor Ila and the resistance M by means of a conductor lib or It with plug contacts on the housing, for the purpose of effecting selective attachment of the device to the 6-volt or 12-volt cattery of a motor vehicle by means of an at tachment cord and plug.

On the housing, there a further rotatable button F, on which the one end of a screw spindle I9 is fastened. The screw spindle it rotates in the inner thread of a bore which is provided in the wallet theihousing. line free end of thescrew Incorporated, Algona,

spindle is is in connection by means of a ball 20 with the one end of a two-armed swingable lever pivoted at it to a bearing support 22. A helical spring 2 maintains continuously in engagement the contact connection between the lever 23 and the ball 2, on the one hand, and between the latter and the screw spindle it, on the other hand. The second lever arm of the lever 23 is in contasting connection by means of a ball-shaped intermediate member 25 with the free end of the leg I of the hell crank lever. 0n the one end of the electrode 5 projecting beyond the sleeve 6 a helical spring 26 is applied, whose one end engages an enlarged part to of the electrode and whose second end engages the sleeve d. This spring 2t maintains constantly in effect the contact connection between the leg 7 and the ball 25, on the one hand, as well as between the latter and the lever 23, on the other hand. The thread of the screw spindle 19 has a great pitch and is selected so that upon a turning of the knob F from the one to the second end position determined by abutment parts, the electrode is pushed a predetermined amount at a right angle to the sleeve 5. The ring 3 is connected by means of a conductor 2? and the electrode 5 by means of the sleeve 6 and a conductor 28 electrically each with a contact plug. These contact plugs designated at Z serve for attachment of he device by means of two attachment cords provided with connecting cable or wire to the ignition circuit of a motor vehicle.

The method of operation of the described device is the following:

The two contact plugs Z of the device are connected by means of two conductors with the igni-- tion device between the ignition coil and the distributing cover of the ignition attachment of a motor vehicle, that is, with the high tension side of the circuit and the vehicle engine as well as with the motor M of the device in operation, the latter for example by moving the changeover switch U to the position B. The motor M elrects the rotation of the sleeve 6 with the insulating disc d, the electrode 5 and the bell crank lever 1, whereby the number of rotations of the motor M through rotation of the turn-knob W may be selected as required between a minimum and a maximum number of rotations. The ignition device set in operation in this manner causes the production of electric sparks between the electrode 5, to and the ring 3 at the same rhythm as the ignition circuit is connected by means of the spark plugs of the individual engine cylinder. During the rotation of the electrode 5, 5a within the ring 3, the distance between the head piece a and the ring 3 may be increased, namely, through rotation of the turn-knob F, that is, the spark gap is increased for the purpose of measuring the ignition voltage.

The device is provided as localizer for the attainment of the determination of disturbance in the engine or ignition device. If the successive sparks due to increase in the spark gap remain unchanged, then it may be assumed that the ignition device is in order. If the successive sparks, however, become irregular, then the fault is caused by a defective ignition coil, condenser, breaker contact, or by a break or a poor contact made in the ignition lock, or it goes back to the primary circuit. A faulty ignition coil causes failure of the sparks, sometimes discovered only after an increase in the spark gap. While the turn-knob F is provided with an indicator, which upon rotation moves along a scale, the device may also be used for measuring the length of the spark It is obvious that various changes may be made in the form, structure and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, applicant does not desire to be limited to the specific embodiment disclosed herein primarily for purposes of illustration; but instead, he desires protection falling fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a device for connection in the secondary of an ignition system, the combination of a first, annular electrode, a sleeve mounted concentrically and rotatably within the first electrode, means for rotating the sleeve, a second electrode slidably mounted in the sleeve for movement transversely thereof toward and away from said first electrode, means for adjusting the position of the second electrode relative to the sleeve and first electrode while said sleeve is rotating.

2. In a device for connection in the secondary of an ignition system, the combination of a first, annular electrode, a sleeve mounted concentrically and rotatably within the first electrode, means for rotating the sleeve, a second electrode slidably mounted in the sleeve for movement transversely thereof toward and away from said first electrode, means for adjusting the position of the second electrode relative to the sleeve and first electrode comprising, a bell crank having one arm disposed in the sleeve and connected with the second electrode, and the other arm pivotally mounted on said sleeve, and means for tilting said bell crank while the sleeve is rotating.

3. In a device for connection in the secondary of an ignition system, the combination of a first, annular electrode, a sleeve mounted concentrically and rotatably within the first electrode, means for rotating the sleeve, a second electrode slidably mounted in the sleeve for movement transversely thereof toward and away from said first electrode, means for adjusting the position of the second electrode relative to the sleeve and first electrode comprising, a bell crank having one arm disposed in the sleeve and connected with the second electrode, and the other arm pivotally mounted on said sleeve, and means for tilting said bell crank while said sleeve is rotating, said tilting means including a manually operable member and indicator means cooperating therewith for indicating the size of the gap between. the. electrodes,

4. In a device for connection in the secondary of an ignition system, the combination of a first, annular electrode, a sleeve mounted concentrically and rotatably within the first electrode, a second electrode slidably mounted in the sleeve for movement transversely thereof toward and away from said first electrode, means for adjustin the position of the second electrode relative to the sleeve and first electrode while said sleeve is rotating and means for rotating said sleeve at selected speeds independently of the speed of the system being tested.

5. In a device for connection in the secondary of an ignition system, the combination or" a first, annular electrode, a sleeve mounted concentrically and rotatably within the first electrode, means for rotating the sleeve, an insulating disc attached to the spindle and having a diametrical groove, a second electrode slidably mounted in the sleeve and groove for movement transversely thereof toward and away from said first electrode, means for adjusting the position of the second electrode relative to the sleeve and first electrode while said sleeve is rotating.

6. In a device for connection in the secondary of an ignition system, the combination of a first, annular electrode, a sleeve mounted concentrically and rotatably within the first electrode, means for rotating the sleeve, a second electrode slidably mounted in the sleeve for movement transversely thereof toward and away from said first electrode, means for adjusting the position of the second electrode relative to the sleeve and first electrode comprising, a bell crank having one arm disposed in the sleeve and connected with the second electrode, and the other arm pivotally mounted on said sleeve, and means for tilting said bell crank while said sleeve is rotating, said tilting means includin a manually operable member, means on said member positioned substantially on the axis of rotation of the sleeve in contact with said other arm and indicator means cooperating therewith for indicating the size of the gap between the electrodes.

7. In a device for connection in the secondary of an ignition system, the combination of a first. annular electrode, a sleeve mounted concentrically and rotatably within the first electrode, means for rotating the sleeve, a second electrode slidably mounted in the sleeve for movement transversely thereof toward and away from said first electrode, means for adjusting the position of the second electrode relative to the sleeve and first electrode comprising, a bell crank having one arm disposed in the sleeve and connected with the second electrode, and the other arm pivotally mounted on said sleeve, and means for tilting said bell crank while said sleeve is rotating, comprising a member, means mounting said member for movement through a range of positions, means on said member disposed in contact with said other arm, and manually operable means for moving said member to a selected position in said range.

ERNST HEDINGER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,046,148 Butler Dec. 3, 1912 1,316,244 Kemble Sept. 16, 1919 1,460,227 Courtier et al June 26, 1923 1,748,417 Haskins Feb. 25, 1930 a aims) 

